1- VitaBalance Pregnancy Plus

VitaBalance offers one of the most well-rounded prenatal vitamin supplements the market has ever seen, with an emphasis on the three most important prenatal vitamin components: zinc, calcium, and folic acid.

Here’s exactly what’s in Pregnancy Plus:

How did VitaBalance come up with their prenatal vitamin formula?

Well, a lot of research has been conducted on what essential vitamins and minerals are involved during a pregnancy.

Calcium, zinc, and folic acid have all been recognized as crucial prenatal vitamin components.

Popular health encyclopedia WebMD states that “Women who are pregnant or might become pregnant take folic acid to prevent miscarriage and ‘neural tube defects,’ birth defects such as spina bifida that occur when the fetus’s spine and back do not close during development.”

Folic acid has even been brought up on The DR. OZ Show:

“While it is especially important for women of childbearing age, folic acid is critical for your health at any stage of your life, whether you are a man or a woman.”

What are people saying about Pregnancy Plus?

Here’s one recent review:

“I am just so relieved to know that I’m using a product that is trusted by so many other soon to be moms. It’s not easy knowing what advice to take on board when there is so much out there but with Pregnancy Plus I feel I’ve made the right choice.” – Jenny G.

Not only do they have stellar reviews, they’re one of the more affordable prenatal vitamin supplements on the market, too.

This supplement is manufactured in an FDA approved facility with GMP certifications.

Take 2 capsules per day (one in the middle of the day, one in the evening), 60 capsules in the bottle.

2- Rainbow Light Prenatal One

Rainbow Light is a leading brand founded in the multivitamin space (they have products in both the top men’s and women’s multivitamin rankings) but their prenatal vitamin might be their most impressive vitamin supplement yet.

The ingredients in the Prenatal One blend are sourced from superfood extracts that promote a baby’s development and support a mother’s energy and nutrition.

In particular, this prenatal supplement contains 30 milligrams of non-constipating iron to support metabolism and red blood cell production, 400 IU of vitamin D2 to promote healthy bones and teeth, plus 100 milligrams of vitamin C and 4,000 IU of vitamin A to support skin, eye, and immune system health.

Prenatal One contains plant-source enzymes plus 25 million probiotics to enhance digestion without an upset stomach.

It’s also a vegan and vegetarian-approved supplement, meaning no animal products or artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives, or other additives and 100% free of gluten, soy, dairy, nuts, shellfish, and yeast.

3- MegaFood Baby & Me 2

MegaFood’s Baby & Me 2 is one of the more expensive prenatal vitamin supplements on the market, but supposedly you get premium quality.

Here’s what the people at MegaFood have to say about their prenatal vitamin product:

“MegaFood takes pride in knowing we deliver the promise of farm fresh foods to you in everything we make. It’s not easy, but we believe farm fresh whole foods are the best way to deliver authentic nourishment and not just vitamins and minerals alone. And that’s the difference between feeling good and feeling really good.

Feeling good and trusting what you are putting into your body is of even greater importance as you go through pregnancy. We have included a comprehensive list of ingredients tailored to meet the changing needs of your body and your growing baby, and you can rest assured knowing that our formula is certified gluten-free, dairy free, soy free, vegetarian safe, kosher, and Non-GMO.”

Farm fresh foods is an interesting concept, definitely not something you see offered by other leading prenatal vitamin products.

The serving size is only one softgel per day, which is nice compared to other leading brands that require you take 2-3 capsules per day. Also one of the more affordable prenatal vitamin supplements for the quantity of servings in the bottle (90).

5- Garden of Life Vitamin Code RAW Prenatal

One of the highest priced prenatal vitamins on the market, Garden of Life’s Vitamin Code RAW Prenatal is a whole-food multi-nutrient formula, specifically formulated to meet the unique needs of women during pre-conception, pregnancy, and lactation, by providing the nourishment to support both Mom and her developing baby.

This particular supplement is RAW – meaning no high heat, synthetic binders, fillers, artificial flavors, sweeteners, colors or additives commonly used in tablets.

The ingredients in this prenatal vitamin are blended in a base of 23 fruits and vegetables together with food cofactors for exceptional nutritional value.

What are prenatal vitamins and how do they work?

All pregnant women deserve the best health since they are taking care of two people at once.

Prenatal vitamin supplements are there to help mothers and their babies stay on top of their nutrition throughout the entire pregnancy duration.

It is important that women who are pregnant have the proper vitamins and minerals to keep the baby inside their womb healthy, while maintaining adequate health themselves throughout the entire pregnancy.

Folic acid, iron and calcium are three of the most important vitamins that women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant need to keep themselves and their baby healthy.

NTDs are one of the serious birth defects of the brain and spinal cord. The neural tube is actually part of the embryo from which the baby’s brain and spine develops. This defect will most likely occur in the early stages of development.

Women who take folic acid at the very early stages of their pregnancy or before conception are reported to reduce their baby’s risk of neural tube defects by as much as 70% (1).

The specific amount that you need may be instructed by your doctor, but it can be anywhere from 400 micrograms to 800 micrograms.

Iron, on the other hand, is highly needed during the first 6 months of pregnancy.

It is used to produce hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carry oxygen to different organs and tissues throughout the body.

Women who are pregnant need to produce extra blood for their babies as well, so there’s a good chance you could use the help of an iron supplement.

The suggested iron intake increases by 50% as soon as a women becomes pregnant. Generally, this means an increase from 18 mg / day to 27 mg / day (2).

Deficiency in iron might also result in a premature birth or a low birth weight. Although this is very easy to treat with the help of an iron supplement, it is still highly recommended that women who are pregnant are aware of the issue.

Calcium is a third crucial ingredient for pregnant women. Obviously calcium is something needed by everyone, but it actually plays a crucial role in the pregnancy process for both the mother and the baby.

For babies:

Helps develop stronger bones and teeth

Helps healthy heart, nerve and muscle growth

Helps develop normal heartbeat rhythm

For pregnant women:

Lessens the possible risk of hypertension

Helps avoid Preeclampsia

It is recommended that women who are 19 and older and pregnant consume over 1,000 mg of calcium every day. For pregnant women 18 and younger, 1,300 mg of calcium intake is recommended (3).

The best way to tell if you need a prenatal vitamin or not is to simply ask your doctor on your next visit (more than likely, your doctor will be on top of this already and now you’re here to narrow down the best prenatal vitamin on the market).

What are the benefits of prenatal vitamins?

There are more than enough benefits of taking prenatal vitamin supplements, which is why they are highly recommended for anyone who is pregnant.

In pregnancy, everything should be considered with a close eye, just to ensure safety and healthiness for both the mother and baby.

The benefits of prenatal vitamins supplements are, but not limited to:

reducing the possible risk of birth defects

lessen the chances of premature birth

giving new born babies higher chances of maintaining normal weight

help pregnant women maintain better health throughout the pregnancy

These benefits are definitely something that any pregnant women would probably wish to achieve during their pregnancy (4).

The help of prenatal vitamin supplements will boost overall being and especially the well being of the baby inside the womb.

If you are currently taking any other medications, make sure you check with your doctor before combining any new supplements.

What are the side effects of prenatal vitamins?

There aren’t many known side effects of prenatal vitamins, as long as the supplement is taken as directed.

These side effects have been reported for prenatal vitamin supplements, and you should consult your doctor if symptoms persist:

constipation

darkened or green stools

diarrhea

nausea

upset stomach

vomiting

It is recommended that you take a prenatal vitamin supplement with 8 oz of water and avoid taking the supplement with dairy products, as this will not make the supplement work as well.

If you take any type of anti-acids, refrain from taking them within two hours of taking your prenatal supplement (5).

Recap

All-in-all, it is a very good idea for a pregnant women to consider taking a prenatal vitamin.

Not only are you increasing your baby’s chance for healthy survival, a prenatal vitamin allows you to keep your own health in check throughout crucial development processes.

Don’t stress too much about which prenatal vitamin brand to choose. We’ve done the research to narrow down the best five prenatal vitamin products on the market, ranked at the top of the page.